LOS ANGELES –– The Kings’ 4-1 win over the Colorado Avalanche secured a franchise record for one of its icons and nearly netted the first career hat trick for perhaps the most promising young player in the organization at Crypto.com Arena Sunday.
As much of the sporting world had its attention on the college football playoffs, the Kings and Avalanche turned in an SEC-like clash for 40 minutes. The two teams, who boasted speed and depth to spare, produced a low-scoring affair until the Kings scored twice in 56 seconds late in the third period to swing a game that had been even through two periods by most measures by playing a domineering game for most of the third.
Quinton Byfield lit the lamp twice, Trevor Moore added a spectacular goal, Drew Doughty found the empty net, Adrian Kempe had two assists and Anze Kopitar’s helper made him the Kings’ all-time leader in assists. Cam Talbot was able to lounge in his crease for much of the third period and made 20 saves and also had an assist on Doughty’s goal.
Former Duck Josh Manson scored the first goal of the game and the only one for Colorado. Alexandar Georgiev stopped 34 of 37 shots. Cale Makar missed the game after sustaining an injury in the third period of a shootout loss to the Ducks Saturday.
Before Doughty’s length-of-the-ice empty netter in the dying embers, the Kings slathered 15 shots on goal to Colorado’s two in the third period and then broke through with two goals on two shots to douse the Avalanche in salt and melt their chances of victory.
Moore created a cushion with a Patrick Kane-esque play that saw him put Caleb Jones in the spin cycle below the goalline and then turn in front with an ascending shot from close range that beat Georgiev cleanly over his shoulder. Moore leads the Kings with 12 goals.
Kopitar’s record-breaking assist came on a play that saw him move the puck from the right circle to below the goalline, where Kempe heaved a cross-crease pass to Byfield, moving him to six goals and just one deflected empty-net shot attempt away from a hat trick. Kopitar surpassed Marcel Dionne with career assist No. 758 for the Kings.
Early in the third period, a stretch pass sprung Carl Grundstrom and Alex Laferriere had a promising opportunity as well. More chances came during a power play that saw Kopitar denied on a rebound bid by defenseman Devon Toews on a shot from prime real estate by Georgiev. Byfield also attempted to knife the puck home between his legs from point-blank range but was thwarted by Georgiev’s pad.
As the midpoint of the game approached, the Kings knotted the score with a dynamic play that spanned all three zones. First, Mikey Anderson’s dogged shadowing of Nathan MacKinnon freed the puck for Kempe. He zoomed ahead on the rush, finding a trailing Anderson for a shot-pass that Byfield redirected home at the back post for his fifth goal of the year. Byfield had 10 points in his first nine November games but finished the month with two scoreless outings.
Though the Avalanche were without top defenseman and leading scorer Makar, it didn’t prevent their defense corps from contributing offense. With 7:32 left in the first period, the defensive-minded Manson activated and became the beneficiary of MacKinnon’s tic, Rantanen’s tac and in his toe for a redirection goal, his first marker of the season.
Doughty’s stick prevented the Avs from extending their lead to two goals before the first intermission.
Andrew Knoll www.dailynews.com Los Angeles Kings,NHL,Sports
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2023-12-04 04:35:40 , Los Angeles Kings hockey news: LA Daily News
